6 Tips for Getting the Perfect Picture of Yourself
Kim Brundage Photography 2022
On my recent work trip to Virginia in March, I was interviewed for a local morning television show, “Virginia This Morning” on CBS 6. It was a little nerve-wracking, but also a blast!
During the interview, I shared with Jessica Noll my top 6 tips for getting you the Perfect Picture of Yourself. These are all simple and guaranteed to make a difference in your next photo shoot.
Jessica Noll always does a great interview!
Here’s what I shared:
First, you have to believe that the camera 📸 LOVES you!
I know that your mindset around anything impacts the outcome, and having your photo taken is no exception. So, think about your expectations before you step in front of the camera, and just repeat the mantras, “The camera loves me! I love having my picture taken! These photos are going to be amazing!”
Second, make sure you keep breathing so you can actually relax.
This might seem obvious (because everybody breathes all the time naturally, right?), but it’s actually one of the most important things I help my own clients focus on before we ever take a single photo. When you get nervous, you tend to breathe more shallowly and that impacts your nervous system. So I recommend taking three long, deep breaths and letting your exhale be longer than your inhale.
Third, engage with your photographer
I wrote a whole post about why this is important, but the bottom line is the more comfortable you feel with the person taking your photo, the more relaxed you’ll be and the better your photos will turn out. So take some time to visit with your photographer, let them know how you feel, and share anything you feel is important with them as you go through the photoshoot.
Kim Brundage Photography 2022
Fourth, think about what you want your photos to ultimately convey
I always ask my clients to come up with three to five adjectives that they feel best describe them and that they’d love to have people see when they look at their photos. The three most popular are confident, professional, and approachable. You have 48 different muscles in your face and that yields 10,000 different expressions! Your expression comes from what you’re thinking about, so I want you to have your words in your mind as I take your photo.
Fifth, Dress Accordingly
Your clothes are supporting players in your story, and they’re supposed to make you the star. Avoid attention-grabbing patterns (solid colors are best) and choose colors that compliment your natural coloring. I always have my stylist give you professional input regarding what to wear and how to style your outfits. You want to show up as your best self, and what you wear makes all the difference here.
Finally, here’s the “dirty little secret”
I shared about professional photography…You have to take A LOT of images to get to the one that you and the photographer are both really happy with. Be prepared for an average photoshoot to take longer than you might expect. I also love to show the digital images I’m capturing at the moment to my clients so we can make sure they’re happy with what we’re getting and make adjustments at the moment if need be.
If you want to hear a little more about each of the above tips, you can catch the whole interview HERE.
Kim Brundage Photography 2022 -
Even though Lisa is photogenic, it still took multiple frames and tweaks to get to the images we were both really happy with.
Isn’t it time for you to gain the confidence that an inspiring photoshoot with supportive people who only have your best headshots as their goal can provide for you? I think it is! Let’s jump on a quick, 15-minute, no-obligation Zoom session and make a plan together. Get on my calendar here.